Vertical card index or system



April 23, 1940.

B. 1-. SCSDERLUND, VERTICAL CARD INDEX 0R SYSTEM Filed na 12, 1939 Patented Apr. 23, 1940 rarest VERTICAL CARD INDEX R SYSTEM Bengt Thronsen Siiderlund, Stockholm, Sweden Application May 12, 1939, Serial No. 273,333

In Sweden June 21, 1938 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in vertical card indexes or systems in which the index cards are placed in card holders piled in frames of sheet metal or the like. In the known systems the lower edge of these frames is fixed by means of hinges or the like in a box common to the frames and supporting the system. The frames are generally adapted to be swung around the hinges about 45 forward and about 45 back-- Ward counted from the perpendicular. Hitherto the swinging of the frames has taken place without any members counteracting the weight of the frames, such as balancing with counterweights or the like, and consequently it has not been *5 possible to make the height of the frames and the number of the card holders as great as desired to facilitate the manipulation of the card system.

Another drawback in known card systems is 20 that, when using the same, the card holders will lie against the frame next ahead, which causes wear and resultant deformation of the card holder.

In the present invention the said drawbacks 25 are avoided by the following device. The frames of sheet metal or the like supporting thecard holders are insertable in a device comprising holders and springs. The said springs are adapted to be fixed in a box supporting the system and 30 serve to partly overcome the resistance arising in the system at the swinging motion of the frames. Due to this balancing of the frames obtained by the springs the frames may be made higher, whereby the number of the card holders 35 and the index cards and consequently the capacity of the whole card system is increased, without the system being heavier to handle.

Further, the frames may be provided with shoulders spacing them from one another, whereby the card holders will not be subjected to pressure against the next frame. At the same time the shoulders serve to hold the frames par allel with one another by the shoulder of one frame contacting the shoulder of the next frame,

whereby the angle of deflection of the card holders will be fixed.

An embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of 5 part of the card system.

Fig. 2 shows a transverse sectional veiw. of the card system.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show a holder in front, top and side View respectively. 10 The card holders I are by means of staples 2' or the like secured to strips 3 made of a stiffer material and located on a vertical frame 4.

The frames are inserted inholders 5 where they are retained by the bent ends 6 of the holders and rest on the projections 1. The upper ends of the springs ID are fixed in the stirrups 8 and 9 of the holders. The lower ends of said springs are fixed in a box ll supporting the system. The springs Ill may also be located directly. on the frames 4, the holders 5 being then omitted. 0n the sides of the frames 4 there are provided suitably shaped spacing shoulders I2.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A vertical card system having frames of sheet metal supporting card holders, in which saidframes are removably retained in a device comprising holders and springs, the said springs being fixed in a box supporting the system, and serving to partly overcome the resistance arising in the system at the swinging motion of the frames. v

2. A card system according to claim 1, in which the frames are provided with suitably shaped shoulders adapted to receive the pressure of the card holders. against the frame next ahead and to hold the frames parallel with one another by the shoulder of one frame contacting the shoul- 4.0 der of the next frame, whereby the angle of defiection of the card holders will be fixed.

BENGT TI-IRONSEN SDERLUND. 

